Process for separation of gold and silver from minerals.



YUNETED srairns vPew?W orrrcn.

nrcaano REYES, or Mexico, MEXICO.

PROCESS FOR SEPARATION OF GOLD AND SILVER FROM MINERALS.

masses.

No Drawing.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

Be it known that I Rrcanoo Remisciti zen of the United MexicanStates, residing at Mexico city, Mexico, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a New and Useful Process for Separation of Gold and Failver from Minerals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful or carbon bodies mentioned, as may be desired; and are later separated from the electrodes by means already known, as by filing, scraping or melting.

This process can be carried out in the following way: A tank of wood or other suitable material is manufactured. This tank being either round or square. Into it two or more bars, either of metal or carbon are placed, within the circumference or along the sides of the tank in such manner as to serve as electrodes, one electrode being positive and the other negative. A solution of chlorid of sodium in natural water is prepared in the proportion necessary for each mineral, according to the proportion of gold or silver which it may contain. This sodium chlorid in itself has no chemical action on the metals or their salts. The mineral}, which it is desired to treat is to be converted into fine powder, by any suitable known means. When this has been done, the min oral or ore is deposited in the tanks together with the solution of chlorid of sodium in the proportion necessary to the'quantlty of mineral, which is to be treated. As soon as the solution comes in contact with the mineral, the whole mass must be agitated by means of compressed air or any mechanical agitator. The agitation may be made with compressed air by means of a hose which d scharges air at the bottom of the tank, in order that the solution shall be well agitated. When thesolution is agitated the electric current which is sent through themetal or carbon electrodes, with the intensity which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 23, 1%122 Application filed November 9, 1914. Serial No 871,186.

may be required in order to decompose chlorid of sodium into nascent chlorin, and sodium, which in the presence of water forms. sodium hydrate.

I also desire to state that any change or modification in the quantity 0]? chlorid of sodium, or in the disposition or number of the poles and in general iii-everything which does not touch the substance of my invention, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

By means of this process the extraction of gold, silver and like metals from their chloricls orlike salts in which the electropositive element when liberated ordinarily attacks the metal. deposited upon; the cathode is much cheapened, as amalgamating tanks and the like are no longer needed.

The object of my invention having been described, I claim as follows:

1. A process for separating gold and silver and like metals from their minerals, consisting in adding the mineral in a finely divided condition to solution of sodium chlorid, and passing an electric current between electrodes, immersed in the mixture,

through the mixture, whereby the said metals are deposited in their metallic condition upon the cathode.

2. A process for separating gold and silver and like metals from their minerals, consisting in adding the mineral in a finely divided condition to a solution of. sodium chlorid, and passing an electric current between electrodes, immersed in the mixture,

through the mixture, whereby the said metals are deposited in their metallic condi tion upon the cathode, thesaid mixture be ing agitated during the passage of said electric current.

3. A process for separating gold and silver and like metals from their minerals, consisting in adding the mineral in a finely divided condition to a solution of sodium chlorid, and passing an electric current between electrodes, immersed in the mixture, through the mixture, whereby the said metals are deposited in their metallic c011- dition upon the cathode, the said mixture being agitated during the passage. of said electric current by discharging gases in an upward direction at the lower layers of the mixture.

4. A process for separating gold, silver, and like metals, from their minerals, which consists in immersing said minerals in the solution of a salt, and passing an electric current through said solution, by means of electrodes immersed therein, said salt, when electrolyzed, being capable of yielding an anion that combines With said metals of said minerals to r'orm salts soluble in the solvent of said first mentioned salt, the said first mentioned salt having no chemical action upon said metals.

5. In the art of separating gold, silver, and like metals from their minerals, hat step in the art which consists in transfornr ing said metals into soluble salts, capable of being electrolytically decomposed, by immersing said minerals in a solution of a salt, having no chemical effect on said metals and passing an electric current through said solution by means of electrodes immersed therein, the said metals being deposited in the metallic condition upon the cathode immersed in said solution, said salt being electrolyzed by said current simultaneously With the deposit of said metals on said cathode when electrolyzed yielding an anion which combines With the said metals to form Copies of this patent may be obtained for said first mentioned salts soluble in the solvent of said second mentioned salt, and being electrolyzed by said current simultaneously with the said deposit of said metals on said cathode.

6. A process for separating gold and silver and like metals from their minerals, Which consists in treating a suspension. 0 said minerals With nascent chlorin to form the chlorids of said metals, said minerals being immersed in a solvent for said chlorids through Which the said chlorin is passed,

and simultaneously passing an electric current through said solvent by means of electrodes immersed therein, the said metals being deposited by said current upon the oathode simultaneously With the action of the said nascent chlorin upon said minerals.

In testimony whereof, I afliX mysignatiu'e in presence of tWo Witnesses.

RICARDO any Witnesses F. B. SILVA, MAJ. GAYUALP.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IEatents,

Washington, 1). 8. 

